Dracophyllum cockayneanum
Synonyms
Dracophyllum longifolium var. cockayneanum (Du Rietz) W.R.B.Oliv.
Family
Ericaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: IE
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: IE
2004 | Range Restricted
Brief description
Grass tree up to 12 m tall, confined to subantarctic islands. Leaves grass like, of two types (juvenile and adult), the leaves diagnostically stiffly, erect with the bases mostly covered in white tomentum and with the margins prominently ciliated. Flowers white, in terminal racemes.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku.
Habitat
Widespread from the coast toward the main summit ridges in tussock grassland, mires and on the margins of forest (Auckland Islands only) or in recently disturbed ground.
Detailed description
Tree 3–12 m tall. Bark on old branches brown, rough to occasionally finely fissured, young stems reddish brown. Leaves dimorphic: juvenile leaves spirally arranged along branches, spreading; lamina sheath 15–20 × 12–14 mm; shoulders tapering to rounded, margin ciliate; lamina 100–140 × 4–6 mm, linear–triangular; adaxial surface scabrid to pubescent, abaxial surface glabrous to scabrid, margins densely pubescent; adult leaves erect to spreading; lamina sheath 12.0–18.3 × 9.0–13.0 mm, light green, coriaceous, shoulders rounded to truncate and margin ciliate in the top half; lamina 40.0–140.0 × 1.5–4.0 mm, linear to linear–triangular, adaxial surface tomentose; abaxial surface with upper half covered in scabrid hairs, slightly striated; margins serrulate and densely pubescent with 60–70 teeth per 10 mm. Inflorescence a terminal raceme on lateral branchlets; shorter than leaves, erect to drooping, dense, 30–70 mm long, linear–oblong; inflorescence bract persistent, over-topping flowers, 15–30 × 1.5–2.0 mm, subulate, adaxial surface scabrid, abaxial surface glabrous, margins ciliate. Flowers 6–20, pedicellate; flower bracts caducous, over-topping flowers, 8.0–14.0 × 3–6 mm, ovate–lanceolate to ovate; adaxial surfaces pubescent or pubescent in upper third only; abaxial surfaces glabrous, margins ciliate; pedicels straight, 1–3 mm long, glabrous to pubescent. Sepals 4.0–5.0 × 2.0–2.5 mm, ovate–lanceolate, shorter than the corolla tube, surfaces glabrous but occasionally pubescent in the top half of adaxial surface; margins ciliate. Corolla white to occasionally light pink; corolla tube 4.0–6.0 × 3.0–3.5 mm, narrowly campanulate, widened at mouth; corolla lobes reflexed,1.5–2.0 × 1.5–2.0 mm ovate–triangular, shorter than corolla tube surfaces glabrous. Stamens inserted on corolla tube in upper ⅓, filaments 0.5–1.0 mm long; anthers included, 0.7–0.8 mm long oblong, pink. Ovary 1.5–2.0 × 1.2–2.0 mm, obovate, apex truncate; nectary scales 1.2–1.5 × 0.6–1.0 mm, rectangular, apices subacute to obtuse; style included, 1.5–2.0 mm long, glabrous, lengthening in fruit; stigma five–lobed. Fruit pedicellate, 2.5–3.5 × 3–4 mm, obovoid, light brown, apex truncate, glabrous. Seeds 0.65–0.7 mm long, filiform, light brown, testa slightly reticulate.
Similar taxa
Dracophyllum cockayneanum is recognised by the erect stiff leaves that are mostly white tomentose in the bottom half and with the margin ciliated. The broad sheaths have rounded to truncate shoulders covered with dense white cilia (Venter 2009). The pedicel is 1–3 mm long and the flower bracts are caducous having the upper third of the adaxial surface covered in dense long white hairs. This Subantarctic endemic differs from D. longifolium with which it is sympatric by the erect stiff adult leaves that are white tomentose in the bottom half, and by the rounded to truncate shoulders of the lamina sheath; by the ciliate margin of the inflorescence bract; by the sepals which are shorter than the corolla tube; and by the truncate apex of the ovary (Venter 2009).
Flowering
Throughout the year
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Fruiting
Throughout the year
Propagation technique
Difficult—should not be removed from the wild.
Threats
Abundant within its narrow geographic range.
Etymology
dracophyllum: Dragon leaf, from its likeness to the dragon tree of the Canary Islands
cockayneanum: Named after Leonard Cockayne FRS (7 April 1855 - 8 July 1934) who is regarded as New Zealand’s greatest botanist and a founder of modern science in New Zealand
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Taxonomic Notes
Treated as a variety by Oliver (1952) and Allan (1961) though initially described as a species by Du Rietz (1930). Venter (2009) argues for species rank (though within Oreothamnus). Therefore species rank (but in Dracophyllum) is followed here.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 13 June 2012. Description adapted from Venter (2009).
References and further reading
Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand, Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 1085 p.
Du Rietz GE. 1930. The fundamental units of biological taxonomy. Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift. 24: 333–428.
Oliver WRB. 1952. A revision of the genus Dracophyllum: (Supplement). Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 80: 1–17.
Venter S. 2009. A taxonomic revision of the genus Dracophyllum Labill. (Ericaceae). Unpublished Phd Thesis. Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, NZ. 551 p.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Dracophyllum cockayneanum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/dracophyllum-cockayneanum/ (Date website was queried)